Joanne Itow

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Joanne Itow is managing director of manufacturing at Semico Research.

Author's Latest Posts

Will Higher Production Costs Hamper IoT Growth?
By Joanne Itow - 22 May, 2017 - Comments: 0

No question, 2017 is expected to be a good year for the semiconductor industry. Semiconductor revenues for 2017 are expected to increase more than 9% this year. A 6% increase in unit sales, as well as higher average selling prices for memory products, will help drive the revenue growth rate to its highest level since 2010. Wafer demand is forecast to grow by almost 8%. The higher revenue growth... » read more

Printed Cars, Smart Stints, Personal Breathalyzers
By Joanne Itow - 21 Nov, 2016 - Comments: 0

The MEMS and sensor market continues to be a hotbed for innovation, new opportunities and, as with most new frontiers, there are also some disparate views on market dynamics and strategies. All this was evident at the 2016 MSIG Executive Congress last week in Scottsdale, Arizona. First, I’ll cover the pioneering and fun subjects. In addition to the Technology Showcase demos and member pres... » read more

Are We Looking At The IoT Through Rose-Colored Glasses?
By Joanne Itow - 18 Aug, 2016 - Comments: 0

There’s been a lot of anticipation and promise associated with the explosive growth expected from the deployment of the Internet of Things. The prospect of 30 billion to 50 billion connected devices and all the associated electronics brings rosy visions of a return to double-digit semiconductor industry growth rates. Let’s take a look at the realities of the impending impact. MEMS, ... » read more

Wafer Shortage? Reality Versus Perception
By Joanne Itow - 19 May, 2016 - Comments: 0

The promise of explosive growth associated with IoT has semiconductor unit forecasts growing at double-digit rates for key product categories. Anything with the word ‘sensors’ seems to be in vogue today. Sensors, image sensors, sensor hubs are all expected to benefit from the billions of connected devices that are forecasted to be in place by 2020. Semico agrees. Unit growth for key product... » read more

After Smartphones…Less?
By Joanne Itow - 17 Mar, 2016 - Comments: 1

As the rate of growth for smartphone sales slow, questions arise regarding the impact that slower growth will have throughout the semiconductor supply chain. Over the past decade, the 1 billion-plus smartphone market has driven the need for more advanced manufacturing process technologies, new input materials and the need for more fab capacity. It has even legitimized new players into the suppl... » read more

Memory Lane: Far From A Leisurely Stroll
By Joanne Itow - 18 Feb, 2016 - Comments: 0

The only semiconductor market segment that has not been taken over by the foundries and still remains dominated by IDMs is the memory sector. The memory market is the last bastion for true IDM manufacturers, who must be savvy in the changing trends in end market applications, advanced technology development, and must still determine how much and when to invest in additional capacity. With on... » read more

China’s Demand Slowdown
By Joanne Itow - 17 Dec, 2015 - Comments: 0

It is well known that China is the largest consumer of semiconductors on a regional basis, and as China’s economic growth slows, it is interesting to take a look at where they have the most impact from a product perspective. There are a few surprises. Although the overall semiconductor average selling price in China is a fraction of the total worldwide ASP, China does not always have the lowe... » read more

What’s On Your Holiday Gift List?
By Joanne Itow - 22 Oct, 2015 - Comments: 0

This month Semico reduced our semiconductor growth outlook for 2015 and 2016. The slowdown is mainly due to lower sales of electronic devices such as new convertible notebooks and even smartphones. TSMC reported near-term uncertainty due to higher than seasonal inventories, customers’ cautious inventory management, along with active inventory reductions. The new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus rolled o... » read more

Surprises At SEMICON West
By Joanne Itow - 23 Jul, 2015 - Comments: 0

As companies such as TSMC and Intel spend less on capital expenditures this year, expectations for SEMICON West 2015 were pretty bleak. I thought I’d have fewer appointments and nothing to really write home about. Au contraire. Although traffic on the show floor was nothing compared to events like CES, there are three things that are driving growth and excitement at semiconductor equipment... » read more

Full Steam Ahead For China Inc.
By Joanne Itow - 19 Mar, 2015 - Comments: 1

Were you in Shanghai this week? If not, you missed the biggest Semicon event in the world. Semicon China broke records this year. With more than 1,000 companies participating, and 570,000 square meters of exhibition space, Semicon China attracted more than 50,000 visitors, making it the largest Semicon event in the world. All the sessions we attended were standing room only. Key areas of fo... » read more

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